Kiro
by Micah Debrink
Summary: When a young Snivy is given to a hopeful Trainer, but the hope is soon stripped away...what is the Trainer's fate? More importantly, what will it take for the Snivy to be young and carefree again? Rated M for sexual content and language. One-shot.


Hey guys! This is a short little one-shot I made as a "break" while I'm working on my next major fic, hopefully online by April 2016. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Pokemon and related names/locations belong to Nintendo.

KIRO

"Everything's ready, Ms. Baugh." Nurse Joy peered into the Pokémon center's main lobby.

"Thanks. Come on, Kiro, in you go.

"I'm sorry it had to come this far."

"Ms. Baugh, the injection is ready."

"Erm…erm…go ahead, Nurse."

* * *

I hadn't envisioned Professor Juniper to be such a sweet lady. The middle-aged researcher looked a lot younger than she was, but the worn and used lab coat was the tell tale sign of her experience behind the lab bench. When did I start getting interested in Pokémon training? Maybe it runs in the family; my father was not a half bad trainer himself. Or maybe I just wanted to get of this stupid, boring town and see the world for myself. Whatever the reason, it'd brought me in front of the Unova region's top professor, who paced nervously around the room. I traced her steps with my shifting eyeballs.

"Yes, yes, I understand that." She was on the phone. "This weekend? But…oh, all right.

"Yes, yes, I know she escaped, but the trainer's responsible for it! What'd he do? Left her to wander around the city?...Almost got run over by a car?...Oh, very well. But I can't promise anything. Bye.

"Sorry about that," the Professor resumed her normal congenial tone. "So…you want a starter, I see."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Let's see here…now, Tepig has a trainer already, so he's not available…but you have Snivy or Oshawott. Which one would you like?"

* * *

Stepping out of the lab, I cautiously kept Snivy in the baby-cradling position that the Professor had handed him in. His eyes darted around his new, unfamiliar surroundings. He stared nervously at a wild Pokémon, before the latter pounced at us and the first battle began.

"Snivy, Vine Whip!" I'd done plenty of homework on Snivy's attacks, weaknesses, evolved forms…my Dad helped me decipher the inscrutable Pokémon guides at the library.

The wild Rufflet quickly returned with Fury Attack. Snivy was inexperienced at the time, and took the full blow, losing his footing before hitting the ground. A little dirt got on his face; recalling that vision, I felt so sorry for him.

"C'mon, Snivy, you can it! Get up!" I forced myself to say. "Again! Tackle!"

He triumphantly rose at last, giving the bird Pokémon a forceful Tackle. Snivy tend to be fast and agile, but this Rufflet was _fast_. He quickly went airborne, causing Snivy to hit the red dirt: another sorry vision of his tiny body, squinted eyes, and rising and falling from breathing. I let my emotions get the better of me as the Rufflet descended, looking over his prisoner. _Here I am, barely left Nuvema and already a sweeping defeat._ The red dirt below me quickly turned to mud as I fell to my knees.

Out of the corner of my tear-distorted eye, I thought I saw Snivy force himself up. The Rufflet fired another Fury Attack, but it was no use. Snivy stealthily dodged it. In a flurry of Vine Whip action, I barely made out the shape of the bird Pokémon collapsing to the ground.

"Snivy! You did it! All by yourself!"

He cheerfully nodded.

"Good job, Sni…oh wait. I should give you a nickname. I know…how about I call you Kiro?"

I beamed back at the grass snake Pokémon. I was glad I stayed strong. "Don't give up too easily in a Pokémon battle. You never know when your Pokémon will gain the strength to stand back up again." That came from one of Dad's books. I was glad I did my homework.

But I guess no homework would prepare for what happened later on.

* * *

Kiro's eyes gleamed over the Casteliacone stand. He'd pounced away from me the moment he caught glimpse of it. How could I refuse him? He was so cute as a Snivy, his little snake-like tongue whipping about. The vendor gave me a look of endearment when I finally caught up to my Pokémon, playfully peering over the counter and examining the swirly white cones.

"Now don't you ever run away from me again!" I warned affectionately.

"Looks like he really wants a Cone!" The vendor laughed.

"How much?" I pulled out my wallet.

"P100."

"Erm…here…you go." I handed him the cash.

"Thank you very much…enjoy!"

There was still plenty of exploring to do: visit the grand buildings of Castelia City, listen to the artists at Café Sonata, and of course head to the Castelia Gym to challenge the leader. But Kiro kept tugging my sleeve with his vine. Eventually, following his pulling motions, we ended up at a hotel in a more quiet part of the city. By this time it was getting late, and the chill of the cool autumn night in a dark, unlit street left me standing petrified. But Kiro forced me into the hotel's dark entrance, where were quickly given a room for the night.

"This place looks scary, Kiro. Let's stay somewhere else." My voice echoed down the empty concrete hallway.

"Sni!" Kiro grunted. That's all the forewarning I got when I felt my left shin lose all its strength…and I collapsed to the floor—still conscious—a victim to Kiro's forceful Vine Whip. _Boy, it would suck to be a Pokémon battling with him._ Holy shit, did it sting bad. My eyes squinted out of reflex, trying to squeeze the pain out. Only soft tears came out. Not so much as a bat of the eye was given by Kiro. His vines were out, and he just stared at my injury for a very long time. He licked some of the blood off, trembling a little as it went down. Then without warning another Vine Whip came, I don't remember where, and everything faded to dark.

* * *

"Father?" I mumbled.

"Are you paying attention? Don't glaze off now!"

"Yes, sir, no sir, yes sir." I snapped to attention.

"Now! Describe to me the traits of a Snivy!"

"It's getting late, Father. I have to go to school tomorrow. Can't we do this another day?"

"You won't be going to school once you're a Pokémon trainer. Now! Snivy!"

"Yes! Yes…erm…Grass type…one of three starters for Unova region…other starters are Oshawott and Tepig…weak to Fire types…strong against Water—"

"Remember those type compatibilities, especially when you get to the first gym in Striaton City. Now, go on."

"Ah! Yes…Snivy…Grass snake Pokémon…has auxiliary vines…vines are more adept than hands…slender figure…green color with cream color belly…evolves into Servine then Serperior…leaf on tail can perform photosynthesis…and…and…yellow…"

"Yellow markings around the eyes."

"Oh, yes." I blushed. "I forgot, father."

"Now tell me the attacks Snivy has."

"Erm…er…Vine Whip, and…Wrap…Leaf Tornado…Leaf Storm…Tackle…that's all I remember."

"Okay, that's enough for you to get by. What about Snivy's demeanor?"

"Calm, very collected, not aggressive usually."

"But…?"

"But what? Did I forget something, Father?"

"A Snivy gets very aggressive when its pride is threatened. If you don't give him some liberty to choose…you'll make him feel not worth your time. He might even turn on you. Some call Snivy the 'Kyrillos', or 'Kiro' of the starter Pokémon. They are the most dominating of the starters. They will take control if they have to. They are difficult to train, but not impossible to…they're an irreplaceable member of your team once they learn to develop your trust. But don't crush their dominating spirit. Get them to trust you first and foremost—are you paying attention?"

"Oh! Erm…sorry Father. I…must have fallen asleep. It's getting quite late."

"Now, you're gonna get Snivy from the Professor in a month's time. Don't forget Snivy's pride! Don't forget it!..."

* * *

"Don't forget…don't forget…" I mumbled. I woke from my dream, to Kiro and his sly smile, lying over me as I myself lay flat on the hotel room bed. Something felt different…as if it was ripped out of me like tearing flesh. Whatever happened, the heart throbbed from it. My face assumed a nervous, guilt-ridden look. When I cried, Kiro just laughed as loud as he could, ending with a satisfied grin on his face. When I finally realized what happened, he pulled away from being on top of me and ran to the shower to clean himself. My eyes danced across the room, and I saw what I needed.

"Professor Juniper?"

"Yes, dear?" She picked up. "What's wrong? It's two in the morning!"

"S...s…s…"

"Is it about Snivy?"

"No!" I quickly interjected. My hand was getting clammy clutching to the handset. "Erm…some…some…thing…happened."

"You sound awfully shaken. Is everything alright?" Her groggy voice from having been woken quickly changed to that of concern.

I clenched my fists, and bit my lip nervously. Both hands here getting clammy now as my heart succumbed to this cold, dark void that was pulling me in. "Nothing. Nothing at all, Profess…Professor. Sorry to wake you, g'night." I slammed the handset back in its place.

At the same time Kiro emerged from his little shower, steam wafting out of the bathroom door. Now he was clean and dry and everything, I'd forgotten how nice he actually looked: that slender figure; smooth scales; tiny, delicate feet. My mind flashed back to him writhing on the floor, having been slain by that first wild Pokémon encounter, dirt stains tainting his body. Boy, how different the images seemed. Maybe the dirt was in my heart. I felt it circulating around, the grains an abrasive against the delicate inside linings. It hurt. Dear Arceus, it did. I'm just lying there, curled up in a little ball like a Sandshrew, curled up tightly, and I don't have fucking clue why I can't pull myself out of it. _Why would a Pokémon even do such a thing? I didn't think they could be so…cold-hearted, or so…I don't even know._

Kiro didn't seem in the mood anymore, and curled on the sofa to sleep. It was finally when he dozed off in his little corner that I saw my blood that had seeped through the ghost-white sheets.

My eyes stayed open the whole night, agitated from manic trembling, restrained by the straitjacket of fear. You think you can break free—the jacket is so loose—but the moment you try to it pulls tighter. Tighter at the neck, the torso, the legs…it choked you into a state of uncomfortable happiness. Kiro still slept soundly on the other bed, eyelids completely sunk, that damn smile of his. Only when his eyes were closed, his smile turned from giving you discomfort and fear...to relaxation. Such a gentle light that emanated from his smile—invisible when those evil eyes revealed themselves. The eyes ruined everything during his waking hours. Only when he was fast asleep did the youth return, otherwise hidden by a hardened façade of machismo persona. Only when I was fast asleep after hours and hours of Pokémon lecturing from Dad, or sojourning about the region as a Trainer, did I remember the days of my helplessly innocent youth, unlocked from the vault of my dreams. It was always great to see the little girl play, play catch with her father, pretend she was flying on the great big tire swing.

If Kiro could sleep forever, that would bring happiness at last.

The Castelia Pokémon Center is always open 24 hours.

The sliding glass opened and I rushed to the counter, fast-asleep Kiro in my arms. I poured my heart out to nurse. The seizing, the penetration, the emotions, the blood, the blood again; every bit she heard, the Nurse smiled and nodded. She's heard it all, she said. She understands, she said. She can handle this, she said. All that time, still smiling, nodding. She's just doing her job, she said. My eyes danced about the open lobby.

 _Professor Juniper…no. Shit._ All the phones were taken by other Trainers. Never mind. The Professor wouldn't want to hear about this anyway.

"Everything's ready, Ms. Baugh."

"Erm…erm…go ahead, Nurse."

And when then needle plunged in,

 _Kiro._ I'd forgotten where I'd heard that name.

* * *

End. Comment on your thoughts! See you hopefully in couple of months...!


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